WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.080 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:45.900 --> 00:00:46.660 Good morning. 00:00:48.020 --> 00:00:51.720 We're going to fix that and try to get you all the announcements at the end of the service. 00:00:51.800 --> 00:00:52.240 There you go. 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:57.440 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open it up to Luke chapter 4 with me this morning. 00:01:00.120 --> 00:01:04.300 I'm excited to be here with you as usual today. 00:01:05.440 --> 00:01:13.900 You know, over the last week, we were hoping for a lot of calmness, maybe, for 2021 as it 00:01:13.900 --> 00:01:14.840 rang in. 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:18.100 And 2021's a little more chaotic, maybe, than we'd hoped for that we've seen. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:25.880 But I think today, as I wrote in this morning, and as we're going through stuff within our 00:01:25.880 --> 00:01:29.700 family, just as you're going through stuff within your family, just as we're going through 00:01:29.700 --> 00:01:37.700 stuff together as a body of people together, it's just good to get away and to be reminded. 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:45.800 And I really hope that this morning, that this is what we can really look at in Luke chapter 00:01:45.800 --> 00:01:46.200 4. 00:01:47.460 --> 00:01:52.140 For those of us who know Jesus, we're not going to be, I don't think you're going to find 00:01:52.140 --> 00:01:53.140 anything new this morning. 00:01:53.820 --> 00:01:58.440 I don't think there's going to be that piece of truth that jumps out that you've never heard 00:01:58.440 --> 00:02:03.540 before as we look at the temptation of Christ and we see his victory in that. 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:09.220 But what I hope we can find is the reminder of the victory that for all of us who are found 00:02:09.220 --> 00:02:11.940 in Christ, we can cling to and that we know. 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:18.420 And I want to say this, if you're here this morning, whether you're invited and so you came 00:02:18.420 --> 00:02:23.220 with friends or family, or whether you just showed up here, or whether you're jumping in 00:02:23.220 --> 00:02:30.100 online with us, and you don't know who Jesus is, I want to just say to you that what you 00:02:30.100 --> 00:02:36.420 will see today, what we will look at in Scripture, that you'll be able to see his divinity and 00:02:36.420 --> 00:02:42.400 his humanity and in the perfection of Christ and our call to follow him. 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:44.800 That's my hope for us. 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:50.700 That we can get our eyes off of ourselves, that we can get our eyes off of the world, and 00:02:50.700 --> 00:02:55.860 that we can sincerely cling to Jesus. 00:02:56.840 --> 00:03:04.000 When Luke writes the gospel of Luke and he records Acts, he writes it in that moment and 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:05.400 he addresses it to a person. 00:03:05.620 --> 00:03:09.340 If you were here for our Christmas series, we talked a little bit about this as we looked 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:14.260 at the first several chapters of Luke, and he writes it to his friend Theophilus. 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:20.460 And he writes to Theophilus with a hope that Theophilus, of those things that he has heard 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:25.960 about Jesus, that he's been taught about Jesus, that reading the gospel will confirm, it will 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:31.640 solidify, it will help mature those things in Theophilus as he moves forward. 00:03:31.900 --> 00:03:36.780 And so what you and I are, what we're going to do over the course of this semester as we 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:40.860 look forward, believe it or not, into summertime, which because we're in South Carolina could 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:42.820 literally be here tomorrow, right? 00:03:43.260 --> 00:03:44.540 That's what we're going to work toward. 00:03:44.660 --> 00:03:46.660 We're going to work through the book of Luke. 00:03:46.760 --> 00:03:48.560 We're not going to read every verse. 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:51.920 We're going to kind of pick up some of the highlights as we move through. 00:03:52.160 --> 00:03:56.620 But in doing that, that we can see, that we can know, that we can understand. 00:03:57.220 --> 00:04:02.520 And for some of us, our prayer, my prayer for you, is that you may take that first step 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:09.240 in trusting Christ as your Lord and Savior, but for so many of us, what we will find is 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:17.860 the opportunity, right, to mature in Him, to trust, to grow, and to see that relationship 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:20.120 strengthen with Him. 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:26.400 And so if you would join me, let's begin reading Luke chapter 4, starting in verse 1. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:54.380 In Luke chapter 4, in this temptation of Christ, what we will see is this divinity of Christ 00:04:54.380 --> 00:04:56.320 and the humanity of Christ. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:03.980 We're going to see what He is able to overcome in perfection as the divine Son of God being 00:05:03.980 --> 00:05:07.200 sent by the Father, being filled by the Spirit. 00:05:07.460 --> 00:05:12.820 But what we will also see, and what you and I will be able to relate to, in some essence, 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:14.980 is the humanity of Christ. 00:05:15.280 --> 00:05:22.480 That God, fully God, stepped out of heaven, took on form of a man, and in His perfect obedience, 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:25.240 did what God called Him to, right? 00:05:25.260 --> 00:05:32.060 In the first two verses, we see, as Luke records, that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and 00:05:32.060 --> 00:05:34.520 being led by the Holy Spirit, right? 00:05:34.580 --> 00:05:43.200 This conveys to us the divinity of Christ, the power in which Jesus lives His life, the power 00:05:43.200 --> 00:05:49.320 in which He will walk on water, the power in which He will cause the blind to see and the 00:05:49.320 --> 00:05:56.340 deaf to hear, the power in which Jesus will say, call Lazarus to life, the power in which He will 00:05:56.340 --> 00:06:02.780 overcome the grave, is found fully, not in His human ability that He has, but in His divine 00:06:02.780 --> 00:06:05.960 nature that He is fully God. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:13.460 And so as Jesus goes into the desert to face the temptations of the devil, what we know is that He's 00:06:13.460 --> 00:06:20.980 being empowered by the Holy Spirit of God fully in doing this, but He's also, Scripture tells 00:06:20.980 --> 00:06:27.580 us, led there, that He's being led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. 00:06:27.780 --> 00:06:31.200 Now, here's what this can gain from us in this, okay? 00:06:31.460 --> 00:06:34.720 God is not out of control in this moment. 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:38.620 God is not aware of what is going on. 00:06:38.940 --> 00:06:44.940 God is not knowledgeable about what is taking place, that Jesus, being fully empowered by 00:06:44.940 --> 00:06:52.540 the Spirit, is being led into the desert for a moment of time with the devil. 00:06:53.760 --> 00:06:54.820 This is God's will. 00:06:55.840 --> 00:06:57.580 This is God's plan. 00:06:58.340 --> 00:07:06.060 And what God is going to do in this is going to be remarkable here in the moment and for 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:10.620 all of eternity as we see the victory that Christ has. 00:07:10.700 --> 00:07:15.500 And so just for a brief moment, what I want to gain us on, for some of us that feel like 00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:21.680 we've been in the desert ourselves, that feel like that we're wandering through this, that 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:27.120 feel like we're facing the temptations of life and shaking our fists, wondering why we are 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.880 there and where is God in this moment. 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:35.940 As God guided Jesus into the desert for a moment like this, maybe God is guiding us into 00:07:35.940 --> 00:07:37.780 the desert for our moment like this. 00:07:38.640 --> 00:07:44.800 So that we can experience and so that we can walk through and that we can gain here in this 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:45.120 moment. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:52.460 What we see in these first two verses is that Jesus, as He goes under the full authority 00:07:52.460 --> 00:07:57.060 and the leading of God, the devil will be there to tempt Christ. 00:07:57.380 --> 00:07:59.720 And this is going to be a little bit different for us. 00:08:00.460 --> 00:08:08.080 The temptations that you and I face are found within our sin struggles, right? 00:08:08.220 --> 00:08:11.720 So if you struggle with greed, guess how you're probably going to be tempted? 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:12.980 Through greed. 00:08:13.520 --> 00:08:18.720 If you struggle with lust, look how you're probably going to be tempted with lust. 00:08:19.300 --> 00:08:19.440 Right? 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:25.680 Like, so what happens within us, the sins that we struggle with oftentimes are the areas 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:31.240 within our life where we find ourselves most vulnerable, which is where Satan is going to 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:31.780 tempt us. 00:08:31.880 --> 00:08:33.800 But that's not what we see here with Christ. 00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:38.820 Because He is fully divine, He is perfect and He doesn't have sin struggles. 00:08:39.660 --> 00:08:43.680 He has humanity that we'll talk about here and look at in a second. 00:08:43.800 --> 00:08:46.240 But Jesus doesn't have sin struggles. 00:08:46.380 --> 00:08:52.820 So where Satan is going to attack Him is in His fulfillment of the mission of God. 00:08:53.680 --> 00:09:00.140 You see, for Satan, what Satan despises more than anything else is not you and I. 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:03.380 For him, we are simply pawns. 00:09:03.920 --> 00:09:08.060 What he despises more than anything else is the mission of God. 00:09:08.060 --> 00:09:15.400 And so when He attacks you and when He attacks me, what He wants to draw us away from is the 00:09:15.400 --> 00:09:19.000 fulfillment in our lives for the mission and the glory of God. 00:09:19.180 --> 00:09:20.340 That is His goal. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:23.040 That is the battle that He faces. 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:30.240 And so for Jesus, His temptation is not due to some internal sin struggle like you and I 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:30.960 wrestle with. 00:09:31.640 --> 00:09:35.080 But instead, what Satan is going to attack is the mission of God. 00:09:35.880 --> 00:09:38.780 And what we're going to see, and this is kind of a side note, and I read about this this 00:09:38.780 --> 00:09:42.980 week, but we don't have the time to go through it, but I really would challenge you maybe to 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:45.100 look back at Genesis 3, right? 00:09:45.180 --> 00:09:51.020 The fall of man at creation and the fall of Adam and Eve and sin being introduced into the 00:09:51.020 --> 00:09:51.260 world. 00:09:51.400 --> 00:09:53.120 What we're going to see in this, right? 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:57.460 What was defeated and what failed in the garden, we're going to see the victory gained 00:09:57.460 --> 00:09:58.940 in Christ here in this moment. 00:09:59.380 --> 00:10:03.820 We're going to see what you and I, what mankind was incapable of doing. 00:10:04.680 --> 00:10:10.400 In every moment, what you and I are going to see is the victory of Christ. 00:10:11.280 --> 00:10:17.320 But also, it's not just about the divine and what Jesus is able to do in His nature as God, 00:10:17.760 --> 00:10:21.320 but let's understand the humanity of Christ also here in this moment. 00:10:21.760 --> 00:10:25.100 We just got done celebrating that in the Christmas season, right? 00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:32.120 The miracle of Christmas that God is with us, and God is not with us in this moment of what 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:37.060 we see in Scripture as like this hovering cloud, right, above humanity. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:45.740 God is not just as this spirit sweeping through the world in this, but God, the miracle of Christmas, 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:52.080 right, is that God takes on the form and the flesh of man in the form of a baby who grows 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.760 up into being this man who goes into the desert. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:01.360 And so you and I, we can't just think of Jesus in His divinity, but we also have to think of Jesus, 00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:04.380 and especially in this moment, in His humanity. 00:11:04.880 --> 00:11:12.100 Because Jesus is being led in a moment of Him being vulnerable into the desert for a period of time. 00:11:12.260 --> 00:11:15.680 Remember, the Bible tells us for 40 days, He's in the desert. 00:11:16.260 --> 00:11:22.200 Now, I don't know about you, but imagine being in the desert for 40 days, right? 00:11:22.280 --> 00:11:28.000 Like, after camping for 48 hours, I'm tired and need a shower and a bed, right? 00:11:28.500 --> 00:11:36.660 And Jesus goes for 40 days into the desert where during the day, He'll experience excruciating amounts of heat, 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:39.260 and at night, He'll experience cold. 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:46.100 We see that a time is set for Him, that in His humanity, this isn't just like a moment that happens, right? 00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:48.180 For God, there is no time. 00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:51.560 But for Jesus, in His humanity, there is. 00:11:51.760 --> 00:11:54.600 40 days in the desert. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:56.900 The ultimate survival. 00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:02.560 And not only that, while He is there in the desert, He's fasting. 00:12:03.460 --> 00:12:11.080 So I want you to imagine what it's like not to miss a meal, not to miss a day of meals, 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:16.880 but 40 days in those extreme conditions, and this is where we find Him. 00:12:17.680 --> 00:12:18.500 He's tired. 00:12:19.900 --> 00:12:21.000 He's hungry. 00:12:22.060 --> 00:12:23.180 And He's vulnerable. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:28.800 But in this, what we'll see is His victory. 00:12:29.720 --> 00:12:36.440 And what you and I can see, that the temptations that Satan fires at Christ 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:44.880 are the same temptations that he fires at you and I in order to pull us away from the mission of God. 00:12:45.620 --> 00:12:51.000 And so as we see Christ's victory in those, we can know that He's gained that victory for us 00:12:51.640 --> 00:12:54.500 and how we can apply that same victory in our life. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:55.900 So let's continue. 00:12:56.040 --> 00:12:56.860 Look, verse 3. 00:12:58.600 --> 00:12:59.900 The devil said to Him, 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:04.520 If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. 00:13:05.040 --> 00:13:06.480 And Jesus answered him, 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:08.000 It is written, 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:11.000 Man shall not live by bread alone. 00:13:12.580 --> 00:13:17.520 The first temptation that we see here in the desert is the temptation of trust. 00:13:18.300 --> 00:13:19.980 The temptation of trust. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:21.600 Now, you read this. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:24.580 Let's look again at what the devil said to Him. 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:29.400 If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:30.300 Well, I want to ask you a question. 00:13:30.880 --> 00:13:32.040 What's the big deal with that? 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:32.980 Right? 00:13:33.760 --> 00:13:34.560 Like, what's the big deal? 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.620 Like, how is this a temptation? 00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:42.000 You know, it's not sinful for Jesus to eat. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:49.320 We'll see in stories where Jesus goes to people's houses that He's calling to follow Him. 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:50.780 And do you know what He does there? 00:13:51.140 --> 00:13:52.300 He eats. 00:13:53.040 --> 00:14:00.300 At the Last Supper, what we just observed here on Christmas Eve together is partaking of the Lord's Supper together. 00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:02.200 Guess what they had just got done doing? 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:04.160 They just got done eating. 00:14:04.760 --> 00:14:06.400 So it's not sinful. 00:14:06.740 --> 00:14:10.360 The temptation of itself is not that Jesus would eat. 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:13.620 Because in His humanity, right, He would have to. 00:14:14.280 --> 00:14:20.820 It's not sinful for Jesus to perform a miracle involving food, specifically bread. 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:26.920 We'll see two times in Scripture where Jesus will feed the masses of people that have come to hear Him 00:14:26.920 --> 00:14:32.460 and His closest followers and food left over with a few fish and a few pieces of bread. 00:14:32.740 --> 00:14:35.360 Jesus is able to take those and multiply those. 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:40.800 And so what we see in Scripture is it's not wrong for Jesus to eat. 00:14:41.020 --> 00:14:45.140 It's not wrong for Jesus to perform miracles, to provide. 00:14:45.140 --> 00:14:53.160 And I would be willing to bet in those future instances where Jesus multiplied that He Himself partook in those meals. 00:14:53.400 --> 00:14:55.360 So what is happening here? 00:14:55.840 --> 00:15:01.060 Why is this such a big deal that Satan comes to Jesus and he says to Him, 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:03.020 Hey, here's the first temptation, buddy. 00:15:03.260 --> 00:15:04.320 See if you can pass this. 00:15:04.660 --> 00:15:07.340 Turn these rocks into bread. 00:15:08.040 --> 00:15:13.920 What Satan is doing here is he's attacking Jesus' trust in God. 00:15:14.520 --> 00:15:14.800 Right? 00:15:15.260 --> 00:15:16.800 Remember from where we began. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:19.300 How did Jesus get to the desert? 00:15:20.160 --> 00:15:21.160 God led Him there. 00:15:21.880 --> 00:15:26.020 How did Jesus find Himself in the condition that He found Himself in? 00:15:26.760 --> 00:15:27.780 Experiencing hunger. 00:15:28.660 --> 00:15:30.400 God called Him to it. 00:15:31.400 --> 00:15:33.680 So for Satan, it's not about the miracle. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.460 It's not about the food. 00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:37.620 For Jesus, it's beyond that. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:40.380 It's showing who He trusts. 00:15:40.900 --> 00:15:45.900 Jesus took on flesh, and in doing so, took on limitations. 00:15:46.920 --> 00:15:48.160 Jesus would get tired. 00:15:49.140 --> 00:15:50.500 Jesus would get hungry. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:52.540 Jesus would get thirsty. 00:15:53.160 --> 00:15:54.220 This would mark Him. 00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:57.120 If Jesus cut His hand, it hurt. 00:15:58.060 --> 00:16:00.800 This is the experience that He would go through. 00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:06.880 He took on the limitations, and we see all those as Jesus experiences His humanity. 00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:13.260 So what Satan is calling Him is, is in Jesus, are you going to follow the leading of the Spirit? 00:16:14.040 --> 00:16:16.860 Or Jesus, are you going to follow the leading of the flesh? 00:16:17.520 --> 00:16:21.520 This is what we see in the very first temptation of Christ. 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:27.140 And in that, who are you going to trust? 00:16:27.420 --> 00:16:33.160 And so Jesus responds to Him, and He quotes Scripture found in Deuteronomy 8, verse 3. 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.820 It says this, 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:42.860 And He humbled you, and let you hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:47.860 that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:53.520 but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 00:16:53.520 --> 00:16:56.880 So Satan challenges him, are you going to trust God? 00:16:57.780 --> 00:17:03.040 And Jesus, in His saying yes, says, and here's why. 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:05.780 Here's why I trust God. 00:17:05.820 --> 00:17:08.200 Here's what's happening in Deuteronomy 8. 00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:16.420 In this passage of Scripture, God tells Israel that He was the one to cause them to be in the desert. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:26.700 That God is the one who caused them to hunger in the desert, but that also God is the one who provided for them in the desert. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:29.000 And how did God provide for them? 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:36.220 Ultimately, God provided them by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:40.840 To trust God means to cling to who God is. 00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:42.560 Can they trust Him? 00:17:43.580 --> 00:17:46.620 Jesus says, you trust Him because you know Him. 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.340 You trust Him because you know His word. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.300 Here's what I want to ask you this morning. 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:54.000 Do you trust God? 00:17:54.800 --> 00:17:59.780 In the moments when we're going through this life and we're making one of two choices, 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:07.440 do I lean in and press forward by the flesh and what my flesh wants and what my flesh desires? 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:13.060 I can imagine being Christ and being there in that moment and feeling the emptiness of your stomach 00:18:13.060 --> 00:18:17.420 and having the ability and the means to do what is being laid before you. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:27.160 But instead of choosing what the flesh wanted, Jesus stood and took the step and chose what the Spirit was calling Him to. 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.280 And so do you trust God? 00:18:29.760 --> 00:18:36.480 God's word says we know Him, and when we know Him, we develop our trust in Him. 00:18:37.020 --> 00:18:41.020 And that when we know His word, we grow in it. 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:43.360 That we grow in our trust. 00:18:43.360 --> 00:18:50.000 You see, it's not just about knowing about Jesus, but it's about knowing Him and then consuming more 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.960 and becoming more filled with His presence. 00:18:55.300 --> 00:18:57.780 So Satan failed in attempt number one. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:00.720 So he goes for attempt number two, starting in verse five. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:07.560 And the devil took him and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time 00:19:07.560 --> 00:19:17.700 and said to him, to you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me and I will give it to whom I will. 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:22.840 If you then will worship me, it will all be yours. 00:19:23.340 --> 00:19:31.360 And Jesus answered him, it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve. 00:19:31.360 --> 00:19:33.620 Here's what we see in this moment. 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:39.920 Satan attacks Jesus, he tempts Jesus with a call to surrender. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.740 Now I don't know why. 00:19:42.360 --> 00:19:47.520 I'm not God and I don't understand or know everything about God. 00:19:47.620 --> 00:19:55.100 But what God has done in God's will and God's plan is in this moment of time, in this span of history, 00:19:55.100 --> 00:20:00.860 he has released the devil to do work and he's allowed him to have powers. 00:20:01.560 --> 00:20:06.980 And so the things that Satan is claiming here in this moment are the things that he can do. 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:11.020 And so he comes to Jesus and he says in a brief moment of time, 00:20:11.100 --> 00:20:15.100 so you see this supernatural event takes place, 00:20:15.100 --> 00:20:22.440 that in a moment of time that he's able to show Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:27.020 And he says to Jesus, you can have all of them. 00:20:27.540 --> 00:20:29.720 That right has been given to me. 00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:35.600 But in order for you to have them, you must worship me. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.160 Now here's what's happening. 00:20:38.080 --> 00:20:41.580 God's already promised all of this to Christ. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:47.860 God's promised Christ, not the kingdoms of the world, but he's promised him the kingdom. 00:20:48.540 --> 00:20:52.380 As Jesus has began to preach and what we'll see early on in his ministry, 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:57.380 that he's come to proclaim the kingdom of God, that he will rightly rule over. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:01.860 And so Satan comes though and doesn't promise him the kingdom, 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:06.540 but he promises the kingdoms of what he can give him. 00:21:06.600 --> 00:21:10.100 If only he'll bow down and worship him. 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:13.400 So what is Satan offering Jesus? 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:17.820 If he can give him the kingdoms, but God has for him the kingdom, 00:21:18.100 --> 00:21:19.940 what is he offering him? 00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:25.300 You see, Satan is offering him the kingdom without the cross. 00:21:26.100 --> 00:21:30.220 That when Christ to take the throne that God has promised him, 00:21:30.360 --> 00:21:34.100 that it happens through the work that he will do on the cross. 00:21:34.100 --> 00:21:44.260 And so what Satan is offering him in this moment is surrender to me without fulfilling what God has called you to do. 00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:49.840 And so Jesus responds once again by looking into scripture, 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:52.140 by looking back at Deuteronomy, and he says, 00:21:52.140 --> 00:22:04.440 You see, what Jesus points him toward, 00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:10.280 what Jesus reminds us of is that you surrender to who you worship. 00:22:11.060 --> 00:22:14.860 Satan says, worship me and I'll give you this. 00:22:15.620 --> 00:22:21.900 And Jesus says, no, because surrender is found in the plan that God has for us. 00:22:22.300 --> 00:22:25.280 You see, you surrender to who you worship. 00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:28.060 You surrender to who you serve. 00:22:28.260 --> 00:22:29.520 So I want to ask you this. 00:22:30.520 --> 00:22:34.020 You know, we look at this temptation and we think it's about who we worship. 00:22:34.540 --> 00:22:39.960 But if we find ourselves in the midst of living in a religious mindset, 00:22:40.260 --> 00:22:42.020 and we say, who do you worship? 00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:43.120 Well, you're here today. 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:44.820 So you worship God. 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:46.000 You worship Christ. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.120 Those are the answers that we've been taught. 00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:51.100 That's what we've become known to be able to say. 00:22:51.340 --> 00:22:53.640 So I want to ask it in a different way in this moment. 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:56.460 Not who do you worship, but who have you surrendered to? 00:22:57.360 --> 00:23:00.040 Who have you laid your life down for? 00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:02.700 Who are you called to follow? 00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:07.800 You see, Satan wanted Jesus to follow him. 00:23:08.340 --> 00:23:11.660 And in order to do that, then you didn't have to worry about the cross. 00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:17.880 I think about later in Jesus' ministry, and there's a group of people who they want to follow after him. 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:24.360 And the same means by which Jesus is going to surrender to God, he calls them to. 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:30.380 He says, if you want to follow me, if you want to come after me, there's something that we need to do. 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:34.660 You need to take up your cross, and you need to follow me. 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:39.740 The surrender to God in our lives. 00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:49.460 So many times in Christianity, we want to sell this false, weak, watered-down version. 00:23:50.360 --> 00:23:56.200 You see, the ease of Christ could have gained everything this world had to offer. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:00.360 All he had to do was walk away from the cross. 00:24:01.040 --> 00:24:03.500 All he had to do was walk away from his suffering. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:06.880 All he had to do was walk away from the difficulty. 00:24:07.560 --> 00:24:08.840 But he chose it instead. 00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:16.340 And for us, within our life, we can gain and pursue all the things of the world. 00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:22.160 You know, an interesting thing happens is the kingdom of God is fully established here on the earth. 00:24:22.820 --> 00:24:30.040 As nations are no longer nation, but there's truly, truly one nation under God. 00:24:30.620 --> 00:24:38.460 What will happen is the plurality of kingdoms and nations will no longer exist, and there'll be one for him. 00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:43.000 The kingdom that happens through the work of the cross and the battle through it. 00:24:43.600 --> 00:24:50.280 And for us, it's where we find ourselves in the surrender and being willing to go into the battle, 00:24:50.280 --> 00:24:59.100 being willing to take up our cross and follow him, that it is not found in anything else other than in our surrender to God. 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:02.100 And so Satan fails yet again. 00:25:02.860 --> 00:25:04.680 Two times he's failed. 00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:07.620 So he comes back for a third. 00:25:08.780 --> 00:25:09.780 Verse 9 says, 00:25:09.780 --> 00:25:16.360 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, 00:25:17.040 --> 00:25:22.000 If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:23.620 Can you hear the challenge? 00:25:24.540 --> 00:25:27.180 Jesus, if you are the Son of God, prove it. 00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:28.760 Do this. 00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.760 And here's how it will prove it. 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:31.680 Verse 10, 00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:32.640 For it is written, 00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:36.840 He will command his angels concerning you to guard you. 00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:43.260 And on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 00:25:43.520 --> 00:25:44.980 And Jesus answered him, 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:50.080 It is said, you shall not put the Lord your God to test. 00:25:50.520 --> 00:25:53.060 Temptation number three, obedience. 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:54.880 Obedience. 00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:57.720 So the devil takes Jesus on top of the temple, 00:25:58.440 --> 00:26:02.100 330 feet up into the air. 00:26:02.580 --> 00:26:03.320 And he tells him, 00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:05.300 If you're the Son of God, show it. 00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:07.740 If you're the Son of God, prove it. 00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:10.160 Because here's what will happen if you're the Son of God. 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:14.300 And he quotes Psalm 91, verses 11 and 12. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:17.520 That if you throw yourself down, 00:26:17.520 --> 00:26:21.880 He will command his angels concerning you to guard you. 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:24.640 And on their hands they will bear you up, 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:28.220 lest you strike your foot against a stone. 00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:30.060 So Satan says, 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:31.440 All right, you've been quoting Scripture. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.820 Let me quote Scripture. 00:26:33.260 --> 00:26:33.720 Prove it. 00:26:34.260 --> 00:26:34.800 Show it. 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:39.620 I'm going to make you put him to test. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:42.100 Satan looks at Jesus. 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:43.720 And he says, 00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:46.300 Here's the temptation that you must face. 00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:49.220 Here's the temptation that you must pass. 00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:52.280 You tell God what you're going to do. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:56.500 And that God needs to play on your terms, not his. 00:26:57.800 --> 00:26:58.240 Jesus. 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.280 Jesus doesn't say, 00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:01.440 No, I'm not going to do that. 00:27:02.300 --> 00:27:03.260 Jesus doesn't just say, 00:27:03.540 --> 00:27:05.420 I don't have to prove to you who I am, 00:27:05.540 --> 00:27:07.380 that what's going to be seen is on the cross. 00:27:08.520 --> 00:27:10.300 Jesus again goes back to Deuteronomy. 00:27:10.760 --> 00:27:12.480 Back to Deuteronomy 6. 00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:13.940 He says, 00:27:14.040 --> 00:27:16.860 You shall not put the Lord your God to test. 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:19.840 As you tested him at Massa, 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:24.960 you shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:27.520 and his testimonies and his statutes, 00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:30.400 which he has commanded you. 00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:32.380 So in Deuteronomy 6, 00:27:32.540 --> 00:27:33.700 there's this reference of, 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.840 hey, you as humanity, 00:27:36.540 --> 00:27:37.160 you and I, 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:39.460 we don't have the right to test God. 00:27:40.040 --> 00:27:43.720 We don't have the right to call God on our authority. 00:27:44.060 --> 00:27:44.420 Instead, 00:27:44.780 --> 00:27:46.880 here's what we have the right to do 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:48.140 because he's God. 00:27:48.260 --> 00:27:50.480 We've got the right to keep the commandments. 00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:52.760 We've got the right to obey him. 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.900 And so Jesus says to Satan, 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.100 no, no, no, no, no. 00:27:56.100 --> 00:27:59.460 I don't have to do what you tell me to do. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:02.740 He doesn't have to do what I tell him to do. 00:28:03.040 --> 00:28:03.520 In this, 00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:05.900 the son has surrendered to the father 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:09.440 and I'm just going to obey him. 00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:12.640 Here's what happened at Massa. 00:28:13.360 --> 00:28:17.860 In Exodus chapter 17 is where the story of Massa takes place. 00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:21.060 And God's people are finding themselves, 00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:21.900 the Israelites, 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:24.920 kind of being like God's people. 00:28:25.340 --> 00:28:28.300 If you've read the story or you know the story of Exodus, 00:28:28.580 --> 00:28:30.640 here's what they've experienced up until this point. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:32.380 They've been held captive. 00:28:32.520 --> 00:28:33.360 They've been bound. 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:36.600 They find themselves in slavery to the Egyptians 00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:39.040 and God hears their cries. 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:40.380 They cry out to him 00:28:40.380 --> 00:28:42.960 and he's going to set his people free 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:45.540 through the earthly leadership of Moses 00:28:45.540 --> 00:28:48.480 of how God's going to work in that moment. 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:50.600 And so God sends plagues. 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.500 He sends the Passover 00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:54.680 to where they will be set free 00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:56.780 and the Egyptians will feel the weight 00:28:56.780 --> 00:28:58.240 and the wrath of God. 00:28:58.320 --> 00:29:00.420 But because of their obedience to God, 00:29:00.540 --> 00:29:02.260 they won't experience the wrath. 00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:04.420 And so in and through that, 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:05.680 they experience this. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.900 And the Egyptian, the Pharaoh, 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:09.700 he sets them free. 00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:12.180 And so what God's people have experienced 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:13.820 is being set free 00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:16.340 by simply not anything they've done, 00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:18.040 but by the work of God. 00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:20.560 And then as God set them free, 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:22.440 even in their freedom, 00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:24.200 death awaited them 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:26.120 and death pursued them 00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:28.000 in the form of the Egyptian army. 00:29:28.340 --> 00:29:30.240 And they get to appoint God's people 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.400 as they flee from them 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:32.240 where they come 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:33.220 and they find themselves 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:35.240 on the shores of the Red Sea. 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.620 And behind them, 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:38.460 the army is attacking 00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:40.920 and the only way to be saved 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:42.780 is for God to save them. 00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:45.560 And so God commands Moses. 00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:48.280 Moses holds up his rod 00:29:48.280 --> 00:29:50.520 in the waters of the Red Sea part. 00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:52.900 And the scripture tells us, 00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:53.700 and this is remarkable, 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:55.400 I tell this every single time, 00:29:55.580 --> 00:29:57.000 that it says that God's people, 00:29:57.580 --> 00:29:57.820 right, 00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:59.640 that they cross the Red Sea 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:00.480 on dry ground. 00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.420 I want you to do something 00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.620 the next time you go to the ocean, 00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:03.160 all right? 00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:05.140 I want you to go out at low tide. 00:30:06.260 --> 00:30:07.540 And I want you to walk out 00:30:07.540 --> 00:30:08.960 where the water once was 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:10.440 and tell me if it's dry. 00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:12.540 It never is. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:13.480 You see, 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:14.180 people have tried 00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:16.060 to naturally explain 00:30:16.060 --> 00:30:17.240 how this could have happened, 00:30:17.360 --> 00:30:19.260 but what you can't explain, 00:30:19.520 --> 00:30:20.960 you can explain the low tide, 00:30:21.280 --> 00:30:21.480 right? 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:23.340 You cannot explain dry ground. 00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:25.020 But God's people crossed 00:30:25.020 --> 00:30:25.780 on dry ground. 00:30:26.040 --> 00:30:27.260 And as they crossed, 00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:28.720 the Egyptian army 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:30.180 pursued after them. 00:30:30.320 --> 00:30:30.960 And so they went 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:32.100 in the same path 00:30:32.100 --> 00:30:33.220 where God's people were. 00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:34.220 And the moment, 00:30:34.580 --> 00:30:36.280 the last Israelite 00:30:36.280 --> 00:30:37.180 stepped foot 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:38.520 off of the Red Sea 00:30:38.520 --> 00:30:40.300 onto the fully dry ground 00:30:40.300 --> 00:30:41.380 of what was there, 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:42.180 and the moment 00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:43.760 that the full Egyptian army 00:30:43.760 --> 00:30:44.700 was in there, 00:30:44.820 --> 00:30:45.720 that the waters 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:47.020 closed in on them. 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.400 And so God saved them. 00:30:49.520 --> 00:30:51.740 But now they're 00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.340 in the desert 00:30:52.340 --> 00:30:54.340 and they're wandering 00:30:54.340 --> 00:30:56.340 and they're hungry 00:30:56.340 --> 00:30:58.540 and they're thirsty. 00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.800 So what does God do? 00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:03.140 God doesn't provide them 00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:05.360 berries in a field 00:31:05.360 --> 00:31:06.320 that they find somewhere. 00:31:07.320 --> 00:31:08.980 God instead causes bread 00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:11.460 to fall down from heaven 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:13.220 so that they can eat. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:15.320 That when their thirst 00:31:15.320 --> 00:31:17.600 is beginning to consume them, 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.360 God provides them 00:31:19.360 --> 00:31:19.960 water. 00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:21.540 And God doesn't provide 00:31:21.540 --> 00:31:22.180 them water 00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:22.980 by leading them 00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:23.880 to a stream 00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:24.880 or to a brook 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.640 where they can find 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.780 water to drink. 00:31:27.060 --> 00:31:27.400 Instead, 00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:29.080 God causes water 00:31:29.080 --> 00:31:29.860 to come out 00:31:29.860 --> 00:31:30.620 of a stone. 00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:33.600 And so God's people 00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.080 were there 00:31:34.080 --> 00:31:35.420 at Massa. 00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.520 And in spite of 00:31:37.520 --> 00:31:38.500 all of these things 00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:38.960 happening, 00:31:39.840 --> 00:31:40.480 their complaint 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.160 to him was, 00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:42.480 God, 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:44.240 did you bring us 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:46.300 here to kill us? 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:47.920 God, 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:49.120 if you didn't, 00:31:49.820 --> 00:31:51.880 then do these things 00:31:51.880 --> 00:31:53.540 on our account. 00:31:54.520 --> 00:31:55.700 What they wanted God 00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:56.120 to do 00:31:56.120 --> 00:31:57.080 was they wanted God 00:31:57.080 --> 00:31:57.900 to respond 00:31:57.900 --> 00:31:59.200 to their authority, 00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:00.440 to test him 00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:01.580 to see if he would do 00:32:01.580 --> 00:32:02.960 what they wanted him 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.380 to do. 00:32:03.600 --> 00:32:05.000 And what Jesus says 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:06.720 is in response 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:07.800 to God's authority 00:32:07.800 --> 00:32:09.100 of who we are, 00:32:09.280 --> 00:32:10.400 what do we do? 00:32:10.620 --> 00:32:11.640 How do we respond 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.080 to him? 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:13.460 We don't test him. 00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:15.320 We obey. 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.280 We obey. 00:32:18.320 --> 00:32:19.140 And so Jesus says, 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.760 I know what God's word says, 00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:23.940 but I'm not to test him. 00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:26.800 I'm simply to live 00:32:26.800 --> 00:32:29.200 my life in obedience. 00:32:30.560 --> 00:32:31.300 I want to ask you 00:32:31.300 --> 00:32:31.860 this question, 00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:32.900 and this is a question, 00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:33.960 I want to be honest 00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:34.280 with you, 00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:35.260 that I've really had 00:32:35.260 --> 00:32:36.060 to wrestle with 00:32:36.060 --> 00:32:37.360 for myself this week. 00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:39.280 Not in the theology 00:32:39.280 --> 00:32:40.380 of what I believe, 00:32:40.780 --> 00:32:41.520 but what I heard 00:32:41.520 --> 00:32:42.380 a pastor call 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:43.700 practical theology. 00:32:44.040 --> 00:32:44.220 You see, 00:32:44.320 --> 00:32:45.440 theology is what we believe, 00:32:45.580 --> 00:32:46.420 practical theology 00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:47.600 is what we actually do. 00:32:47.760 --> 00:32:48.560 And there's a difference 00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:49.820 a lot of times for us, right? 00:32:50.040 --> 00:32:50.600 There are things 00:32:50.600 --> 00:32:51.200 that I believe, 00:32:51.320 --> 00:32:52.200 but how that practically 00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:53.940 plays out in my life 00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:56.280 sometimes looks different. 00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:58.420 And here's what I've had 00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.740 to wrestle with, 00:32:59.840 --> 00:33:00.420 is this, 00:33:01.060 --> 00:33:02.720 whose authority 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.180 do you cling to? 00:33:05.300 --> 00:33:06.240 Do you think 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:07.580 that God is here 00:33:07.580 --> 00:33:09.120 to obey you 00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:11.640 or are you here 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:13.220 to obey God? 00:33:14.440 --> 00:33:15.220 I want to be honest 00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:15.660 with you. 00:33:16.760 --> 00:33:18.220 So many times, 00:33:19.460 --> 00:33:20.440 the selfishness 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.200 of my heart, 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:23.720 the selfishness 00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:24.600 of my prayers, 00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.820 I can find myself 00:33:27.820 --> 00:33:29.860 in God. 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:31.520 If you love me, 00:33:31.620 --> 00:33:32.440 do this for me. 00:33:33.580 --> 00:33:34.880 God, if you love me, 00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:36.080 remove this from me. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:38.360 God, if you love me, 00:33:38.840 --> 00:33:40.100 take this away from me. 00:33:41.640 --> 00:33:42.420 And in that, 00:33:43.580 --> 00:33:44.720 and in my sin, 00:33:45.980 --> 00:33:46.960 what I find 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:53.820 is that I'm trying 00:33:53.820 --> 00:33:55.040 to make God obey me 00:33:55.040 --> 00:33:57.460 and not me obey God. 00:33:59.060 --> 00:34:00.060 but Jesus 00:34:00.060 --> 00:34:02.000 once again 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:04.020 is the victor. 00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:05.840 And the devil 00:34:05.840 --> 00:34:06.400 leaves 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:08.320 and Jesus 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:08.960 is restored. 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:11.060 And here's how 00:34:11.060 --> 00:34:11.840 we should probably 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:12.620 think logic 00:34:12.620 --> 00:34:13.780 should play out. 00:34:15.100 --> 00:34:16.380 Christ is overcame. 00:34:17.220 --> 00:34:18.180 He's the victor. 00:34:19.080 --> 00:34:20.240 Good things happen, 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:20.540 right, 00:34:20.580 --> 00:34:21.220 when you do 00:34:21.220 --> 00:34:22.100 good things. 00:34:22.180 --> 00:34:22.720 That's where 00:34:22.720 --> 00:34:24.080 our minds have been taught. 00:34:24.180 --> 00:34:24.920 That's what we feel 00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.640 like the narrative 00:34:25.640 --> 00:34:26.480 of the story 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.020 should be. 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:28.540 And so if you continue 00:34:28.540 --> 00:34:29.160 on reading 00:34:29.160 --> 00:34:30.700 in chapter 4, 00:34:31.020 --> 00:34:32.020 there are good things 00:34:32.020 --> 00:34:32.580 that happen. 00:34:33.200 --> 00:34:34.340 Chapter 4 talks about 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:36.340 that Jesus has a crowd 00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:36.920 that begins 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:38.180 to follow him. 00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:39.800 He has opportunities 00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:40.860 where he begins 00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:41.440 to teach 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:42.580 and people like 00:34:42.580 --> 00:34:43.560 what he says 00:34:43.560 --> 00:34:45.000 in some instances. 00:34:46.040 --> 00:34:47.320 And Jesus has opportunities 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:48.680 to heal people, 00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:50.180 to provide a life 00:34:50.180 --> 00:34:50.940 and hope. 00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:51.980 And if we put 00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:52.560 the period 00:34:52.560 --> 00:34:53.300 right there 00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:54.520 at chapter 4 00:34:54.520 --> 00:34:55.340 and this is what 00:34:55.340 --> 00:34:56.040 this is about, 00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:56.740 then this is 00:34:56.740 --> 00:34:57.940 the great victory. 00:34:58.100 --> 00:34:58.900 This is the story 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:00.020 that we can cling to, 00:35:00.100 --> 00:35:00.320 right? 00:35:00.700 --> 00:35:02.180 Jesus did all the things 00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:02.780 that he would do 00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:04.460 and it all turned out good 00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:05.080 and yay, 00:35:05.180 --> 00:35:05.660 let's wait 00:35:05.660 --> 00:35:06.600 and see what happens 00:35:06.600 --> 00:35:07.620 in chapter 5. 00:35:07.740 --> 00:35:08.880 But also woven 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:10.060 into the fabric 00:35:10.060 --> 00:35:11.060 of the story 00:35:11.060 --> 00:35:12.080 of chapter 4 00:35:12.080 --> 00:35:13.060 is not only 00:35:13.060 --> 00:35:13.760 does Jesus 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:14.780 draw a crowd, 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.560 but he's rejected. 00:35:17.620 --> 00:35:18.780 Not only do some people 00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:19.680 like what he says, 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:21.260 but others hate it. 00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:23.440 He's mocked 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:25.520 even to the point 00:35:25.520 --> 00:35:27.460 where his life 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:29.300 is put in danger. 00:35:30.700 --> 00:35:31.600 But even though, 00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.420 even though 00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:34.660 in the wilderness 00:35:34.660 --> 00:35:36.740 he trusted 00:35:36.740 --> 00:35:38.980 and he surrendered 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:41.560 and he obeyed, 00:35:42.720 --> 00:35:44.720 he still finds himself 00:35:44.720 --> 00:35:46.260 in the midst 00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:46.960 of the struggle. 00:35:47.620 --> 00:35:48.900 even when he's 00:35:48.900 --> 00:35:49.340 surrounded 00:35:49.340 --> 00:35:50.780 by others. 00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:52.860 So what does he do 00:35:52.860 --> 00:35:55.380 for the remainder 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:57.120 of his time 00:35:57.120 --> 00:35:58.920 to the point 00:35:58.920 --> 00:35:59.840 that we see him, 00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:00.840 even to the point 00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:01.740 of death 00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:02.500 on the cross? 00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:04.400 He trusts, 00:36:05.740 --> 00:36:06.740 he surrenders 00:36:06.740 --> 00:36:08.740 and he obeys. 00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:11.280 I don't know 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:11.860 if you have any 00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:13.200 goals 00:36:13.200 --> 00:36:15.280 for this upcoming year. 00:36:16.100 --> 00:36:17.360 We have to talk 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.020 about the things 00:36:18.020 --> 00:36:18.420 that we want 00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:19.660 to be known 00:36:19.660 --> 00:36:19.980 for, 00:36:20.100 --> 00:36:20.400 that we want 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:20.880 to see 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:21.740 that happen 00:36:21.740 --> 00:36:22.380 and take place 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:22.960 in our life. 00:36:23.660 --> 00:36:24.280 And for a lot 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:24.520 of us, 00:36:24.580 --> 00:36:25.280 we talk about 00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:26.140 I want to be 00:36:26.140 --> 00:36:27.000 more like Christ, 00:36:27.080 --> 00:36:27.640 I want to love 00:36:27.640 --> 00:36:28.400 more like Christ, 00:36:28.560 --> 00:36:29.240 I want to look 00:36:29.240 --> 00:36:30.140 more like Christ, 00:36:30.280 --> 00:36:30.920 I want Christ 00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.720 to mark more 00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:32.480 of my life. 00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:33.940 But what does 00:36:33.940 --> 00:36:34.480 that mean? 00:36:35.600 --> 00:36:36.160 And what I would 00:36:36.160 --> 00:36:36.880 argue is we don't 00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:37.880 have to look past 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:39.240 the temptation 00:36:39.240 --> 00:36:39.860 of Jesus 00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:41.380 in the wilderness 00:36:41.380 --> 00:36:43.180 to look at 00:36:43.180 --> 00:36:43.680 what Jesus 00:36:43.680 --> 00:36:44.180 did 00:36:44.180 --> 00:36:45.440 and how he 00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:46.000 overcame. 00:36:47.020 --> 00:36:47.620 He trusted, 00:36:48.560 --> 00:36:49.520 he surrendered 00:36:49.520 --> 00:36:51.360 and he obeyed. 00:36:52.140 --> 00:36:52.840 Would you pray 00:36:52.840 --> 00:36:53.200 with me? 00:36:57.740 --> 00:36:58.180 God, 00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:58.700 I come to you 00:36:58.700 --> 00:36:59.320 this morning 00:36:59.320 --> 00:37:03.660 thanking you 00:37:03.660 --> 00:37:05.640 for the victory 00:37:05.640 --> 00:37:07.160 that we've been 00:37:07.160 --> 00:37:07.780 able to see. 00:37:10.580 --> 00:37:11.020 Lord, 00:37:11.180 --> 00:37:12.120 you led, 00:37:13.780 --> 00:37:14.800 Jesus was led 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:15.360 into the, 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:17.020 to the wilderness 00:37:17.020 --> 00:37:19.480 and in his 00:37:19.480 --> 00:37:20.180 humanity 00:37:20.180 --> 00:37:22.380 he struggled 00:37:22.380 --> 00:37:25.560 but in his 00:37:25.560 --> 00:37:26.520 divinity 00:37:26.520 --> 00:37:28.660 he gained 00:37:28.660 --> 00:37:29.260 the victory. 00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:31.940 God, 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:33.080 I pray for us 00:37:33.080 --> 00:37:34.960 as we look 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:35.740 at this year 00:37:35.740 --> 00:37:37.480 of what's 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:37.960 ahead, 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:40.020 as we look 00:37:40.020 --> 00:37:40.280 at our 00:37:40.280 --> 00:37:40.780 tomorrow 00:37:40.780 --> 00:37:41.320 and our 00:37:41.320 --> 00:37:41.720 week, 00:37:42.680 --> 00:37:43.300 as we look 00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:43.560 at the 00:37:43.560 --> 00:37:43.980 battles 00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:44.340 that are 00:37:44.340 --> 00:37:44.660 in our 00:37:44.660 --> 00:37:45.120 life. 00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.200 Lord, 00:37:46.240 --> 00:37:46.640 we know 00:37:46.640 --> 00:37:46.980 that you 00:37:46.980 --> 00:37:47.320 have not 00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:47.960 left us 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.580 or forsaken 00:37:48.580 --> 00:37:48.980 us. 00:37:49.920 --> 00:37:50.220 Lord, 00:37:50.240 --> 00:37:50.640 we might 00:37:50.640 --> 00:37:51.060 be in a 00:37:51.060 --> 00:37:51.580 place where 00:37:51.580 --> 00:37:52.020 we feel 00:37:52.020 --> 00:37:52.560 like hope 00:37:52.560 --> 00:37:52.920 doesn't 00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:53.560 exist. 00:37:54.740 --> 00:37:55.000 Lord, 00:37:55.040 --> 00:37:55.280 where the 00:37:55.280 --> 00:37:55.780 struggle 00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:56.420 is there. 00:37:58.140 --> 00:37:58.560 But Lord, 00:37:58.620 --> 00:37:59.040 I pray 00:37:59.040 --> 00:37:59.520 that through 00:37:59.520 --> 00:38:00.060 it all 00:38:00.060 --> 00:38:01.460 what we 00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.400 would experience 00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:03.940 is trusting 00:38:03.940 --> 00:38:04.320 you, 00:38:05.600 --> 00:38:06.200 surrendering 00:38:06.200 --> 00:38:06.780 to you, 00:38:07.780 --> 00:38:08.520 and obeying 00:38:08.520 --> 00:38:08.800 you. 00:38:10.020 --> 00:38:14.320 every head 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:14.880 bowed and 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:15.320 every eye 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:15.900 closed. 00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:17.700 Whether you're 00:38:17.700 --> 00:38:18.260 watching at 00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:18.840 home or 00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:19.460 you're here 00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:20.120 with us 00:38:20.120 --> 00:38:21.780 on campus, 00:38:23.160 --> 00:38:25.980 we look 00:38:25.980 --> 00:38:26.380 at what it 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:26.760 means to 00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:27.600 follow Christ. 00:38:30.640 --> 00:38:31.060 I think 00:38:31.060 --> 00:38:31.640 sometimes we 00:38:31.640 --> 00:38:32.660 complicate it. 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:37.840 I think 00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:38.360 we see 00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:39.000 in here 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:41.280 through the 00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:41.620 modeling 00:38:41.620 --> 00:38:42.260 of Jesus 00:38:42.260 --> 00:38:44.620 the process 00:38:44.620 --> 00:38:45.200 of faith. 00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:48.860 So I want 00:38:48.860 --> 00:38:49.360 to ask you 00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:49.940 this morning, 00:38:50.380 --> 00:38:52.420 have you 00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:52.800 trusted 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:53.400 Christ 00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:56.540 with your 00:38:56.540 --> 00:38:57.080 life, 00:38:58.080 --> 00:39:00.100 with your 00:39:00.100 --> 00:39:00.600 marriage, 00:39:00.700 --> 00:39:01.000 with your 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.500 kids, 00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:04.320 with your 00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:04.820 health, 00:39:05.400 --> 00:39:07.680 with every 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:08.540 aspect, 00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:10.540 have you 00:39:10.540 --> 00:39:11.420 trusted him? 00:39:14.040 --> 00:39:14.660 Have you 00:39:14.660 --> 00:39:15.100 trusted him 00:39:15.100 --> 00:39:15.380 for your 00:39:15.380 --> 00:39:15.940 eternity? 00:39:18.180 --> 00:39:18.920 That heaven 00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.460 is not going 00:39:19.460 --> 00:39:20.160 to be obtained 00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:21.060 by works, 00:39:22.520 --> 00:39:23.480 but it's 00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:23.700 going to be 00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:24.240 a gift 00:39:24.240 --> 00:39:24.760 received 00:39:24.760 --> 00:39:25.560 through grace 00:39:25.560 --> 00:39:27.300 of Christ. 00:39:28.780 --> 00:39:29.320 Have you 00:39:29.320 --> 00:39:30.020 trusted him? 00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:32.640 Have you 00:39:32.640 --> 00:39:33.440 surrendered to 00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:33.660 him? 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.140 At the 00:39:36.140 --> 00:39:36.580 mark of 00:39:36.580 --> 00:39:37.020 surrender, 00:39:37.120 --> 00:39:37.480 to bow 00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.040 down, 00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:39.800 say my 00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:40.340 life is 00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:40.860 yours, 00:39:42.240 --> 00:39:43.240 do with 00:39:43.240 --> 00:39:43.480 me as 00:39:43.480 --> 00:39:43.600 you 00:39:43.600 --> 00:39:44.140 please. 00:39:46.100 --> 00:39:46.580 Have 00:39:46.580 --> 00:39:47.140 all that 00:39:47.140 --> 00:39:47.780 is me 00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:50.200 and use 00:39:50.200 --> 00:39:50.440 it for 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:50.900 your name 00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:51.160 and for 00:39:51.160 --> 00:39:51.780 your glory. 00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:54.960 And are 00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:55.100 you 00:39:55.100 --> 00:39:55.780 pushing 00:39:55.780 --> 00:39:56.180 for 00:39:56.180 --> 00:39:56.720 obedience 00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:56.920 in 00:39:56.920 --> 00:39:57.140 him? 00:39:58.520 --> 00:39:59.160 Understanding 00:39:59.160 --> 00:39:59.840 that every 00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:00.540 day is a 00:40:00.540 --> 00:40:00.840 day of 00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:01.300 growth, 00:40:02.480 --> 00:40:03.420 but understanding 00:40:03.420 --> 00:40:03.960 that every 00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:05.540 failure that 00:40:05.540 --> 00:40:06.360 you commit 00:40:06.360 --> 00:40:07.620 is met 00:40:07.620 --> 00:40:08.840 with grace 00:40:08.840 --> 00:40:10.840 and forgiveness 00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:12.580 and kindness 00:40:12.580 --> 00:40:14.120 and compassion. 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:16.440 But every 00:40:16.440 --> 00:40:16.860 day, 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:18.600 looking for 00:40:18.600 --> 00:40:19.340 an opportunity 00:40:19.340 --> 00:40:20.940 to be 00:40:20.940 --> 00:40:21.600 obedient to 00:40:21.600 --> 00:40:21.800 him. 00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:25.360 I think 00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:25.540 that's 00:40:25.540 --> 00:40:25.720 what it 00:40:25.720 --> 00:40:26.020 means to 00:40:26.020 --> 00:40:26.240 follow 00:40:26.240 --> 00:40:26.660 Jesus, 00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:29.540 to live 00:40:29.540 --> 00:40:30.120 in victory 00:40:30.120 --> 00:40:32.260 in spite 00:40:32.260 --> 00:40:32.580 of the 00:40:32.580 --> 00:40:32.920 wilderness 00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:33.380 of the 00:40:33.380 --> 00:40:33.680 desert 00:40:33.680 --> 00:40:35.440 that we 00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:35.680 find 00:40:35.680 --> 00:40:36.020 ourselves 00:40:36.020 --> 00:40:36.300 in. 00:40:40.300 --> 00:40:40.780 God, 00:40:41.700 --> 00:40:42.340 as we 00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:42.980 conclude this 00:40:42.980 --> 00:40:43.640 worship service 00:40:43.640 --> 00:40:44.060 here in a 00:40:44.060 --> 00:40:44.360 moment, 00:40:45.640 --> 00:40:48.100 we're going to 00:40:48.100 --> 00:40:49.040 respond in 00:40:49.040 --> 00:40:49.520 song. 00:40:51.520 --> 00:40:52.220 Lord, 00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:52.860 I pray for 00:40:52.860 --> 00:40:53.000 the 00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:53.660 response of 00:40:53.660 --> 00:40:54.120 hearts 00:40:54.120 --> 00:40:55.320 to you. 00:40:57.000 --> 00:40:57.740 For some 00:40:57.740 --> 00:40:58.260 of us, 00:40:58.320 --> 00:40:58.840 maybe it's 00:40:58.840 --> 00:40:59.480 beginning a 00:40:59.480 --> 00:40:59.980 relationship 00:40:59.980 --> 00:41:00.580 with you, 00:41:01.780 --> 00:41:02.320 salvation 00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:02.880 found in 00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:03.140 you and 00:41:03.140 --> 00:41:03.620 you alone. 00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:05.680 For some 00:41:05.680 --> 00:41:05.980 of us, 00:41:06.040 --> 00:41:06.340 maybe it's 00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:06.940 growing in 00:41:06.940 --> 00:41:07.360 trust, 00:41:07.520 --> 00:41:07.920 growing in 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:08.340 surrender, 00:41:08.780 --> 00:41:09.160 growing in 00:41:09.160 --> 00:41:09.820 obedience. 00:41:11.000 --> 00:41:11.400 But Lord, 00:41:11.460 --> 00:41:12.620 I pray in the 00:41:12.620 --> 00:41:13.720 spirit of God 00:41:13.720 --> 00:41:14.240 that we will 00:41:14.240 --> 00:41:15.620 not leave 00:41:15.620 --> 00:41:18.020 here in the 00:41:18.020 --> 00:41:18.480 way that we 00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:18.680 enter. 00:41:20.120 --> 00:41:20.520 Jesus, 00:41:20.580 --> 00:41:21.060 we love 00:41:21.060 --> 00:41:21.260 you. 00:41:22.160 --> 00:41:22.780 We praise 00:41:22.780 --> 00:41:23.040 you. 00:41:23.780 --> 00:41:24.020 It's in 00:41:24.020 --> 00:41:24.200 your name 00:41:24.200 --> 00:41:24.620 we pray. 00:41:25.120 --> 00:41:25.420 Amen. 00:41:26.280 --> 00:41:26.640 Would you 00:41:26.640 --> 00:41:27.900 stand and 00:41:27.900 --> 00:41:28.440 respond to 00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:28.620 him? 00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:46.120 Thanks again 00:41:46.120 --> 00:41:46.620 for listening 00:41:46.620 --> 00:41:47.000 to the 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:47.420 Willow Ridge 00:41:47.420 --> 00:41:47.780 Church 00:41:47.780 --> 00:41:48.760 weekly podcast. 00:41:49.080 --> 00:41:49.500 We hope 00:41:49.500 --> 00:41:49.740 that you 00:41:49.740 --> 00:41:50.060 enjoyed 00:41:50.060 --> 00:41:50.580 listening to 00:41:50.580 --> 00:41:51.020 this week's 00:41:51.020 --> 00:41:51.380 message. 00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:52.280 If you'd 00:41:52.280 --> 00:41:52.560 like to 00:41:52.560 --> 00:41:52.940 learn more 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:53.380 about who 00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:53.760 we are 00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:54.440 or explore 00:41:54.440 --> 00:41:54.860 additional 00:41:54.860 --> 00:41:55.420 resources, 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.400 visit us 00:41:56.400 --> 00:41:57.180 online at 00:41:57.180 --> 00:42:00.440 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:42:00.440 --> 00:42:01.640 or by searching 00:42:01.640 --> 00:42:02.320 for Willow Ridge 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:02.920 Church on 00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:03.620 Facebook and 00:42:03.620 --> 00:42:03.980 Instagram.